Category: Activities to do with long distance grandkids

January 8, 2021

Fantasy Travel with Grandkids on Zoom

My dining room has been transformed into “Zoom Central”. The table is my laptop’s home and it’s covered with books, toys, and supplies for video chats with my grands. It’s working out just fine, but I wondered if watching me sit in the same spot each time might get a little boring. Sure, I could move to another room. But even better would be a total change of scenery and I’ve discovered how to do that without moving a thing. In fact, with help from Zoom I recently traveled with my long-distance grandkids to a fabulous, fantasy kingdom. I’m going to show you how to get there, too, and follow with some activities for a royal tour. Read more

July 6, 2020

VIRTUAL STORYTIME WITH YOUNG GRANDKIDS

Like many long-distance grandparents, the last time we visited with our grandkids was in the winter. That is, unless I count yesterday’s virtual visit with our granddaughters. Both virtual visits included storytime using video chat to read Pete the Cat, The Incredible Avocado and Goodnight Moon. In fact, each grandchild followed every word and giggled along as I tilted the phone to cover the key parts of each page.

To try virtual storytime with your grandchild, here are some ways I keep it simple and special for different ages. Read more

June 28, 2020

GARDENING VIRTUALLY WITH GRANDKIDS

My friend Carol, a long-distance grandparent herself, is growing vegetables in her garden.* (Check out her fabric pots above). I caught that “grow-your-own food” bug, too. Not in a big way, mind you. It’s more like a “dip your toe in the dirt” version. Still, I’m in awe of how each plant grows. My grandkids get excited about this, too! While gardening virtually with my grandkids, I hope to help them discover new ways to appreciate the wonders of nature. With a long distance between us, my creativity is being put to the test!

There’s lots of information online about gardening with kids, so I’ve taken a different approach. Instead of trying out random activities, I focused on ideas that would hold a child’s screen interest. Most of the ideas below can work with the simplest of gardens: from pots on a windowsill to a large backyard garden. Your grandchild might also have a home garden. If so, then try some of these together! Read more

June 12, 2020

THE MAGIC STARTS AT HOME

Your home is a magical place. Believe it or not, it’s a wonderful world to explore. No need to buy anything or do lots of planning. You already own plenty of stuff to share with your grandkids! So, how do I know that kids would enjoy a magical house tour? Because my granddaughter told me, of course!

Our first tour began during one of our video chats. All of sudden, my granddaughter noticed something on the wall. It was a colorful, framed print. She asked, ‘How did you get it? Who made it? What is it about?’ Before I knew it, we were walking around the house. With cell phone in hand, we made several stops. Some she chose, others were my suggestion. Along the way she was full of questions. All in all, it was a hoot! Read more